On Tuesday night (29th October), Epping Forest District Council's Overview and Scrutiny Committee met with Transport for London (TfL) to discuss local public transport issues. Waltham Abbey councillors Joseph Parsons, Jeane Lea, and Martin Morris highlighted Waltham Abbey's poor public transport and the urgent need for TfL to reinstate services.
Loughton councillor Cllr Stephen Murray opened by summarising demands from residents, specifically mentioning calls for TfL to extend routes 215 (Walthamstow Central - Lee Valley Campsite) and 379 (Chingford Station - Yardley Lane) to at least Waltham Abbey Town Centre, and to restore the Waltham Cross to Upshire section of route 317 (Enfield Town - Waltham Cross).
Cllr Joseph Parsons mentioned that the inadequate public transport in the area is "the biggest issue" residents raise with him "all the time". He described the unreliability of the non-TfL buses and limited transport options Waltham Abbey has been "left with", and stressed the need for TfL to restore service in the town by extending existing bus routes and/or establishing new routes.
Cllr Jeane Lea, former Mayor of Waltham Abbey and long-time resident of the town, spoke passionately about her frustration with the absence of London bus services in Waltham Abbey. She compared the links we once had to the service we receive today, saying "now, your London Buses stop at Waltham Cross, completely ignore Waltham Abbey, and they stop at Chingford - they've just completely cut us out". She also mentioned upcoming housing developments, and how the lack of buses between Waltham Abbey and Chingford Station is putting additional pressure on TfL's Central Line at Loughton.
Cllr Martin Morris emphasised that Waltham Abbey "is not such a small place - it's got 23,000 people living there. It's bigger than Epping, it's bigger than Waltham Cross, and it's two thirds of the size of Loughton... it does have poor services". He added that the town has "virtually nothing on a Sunday and public holidays".
TfL stated that most London Buses routes operate at a loss, and that they receive no funding from Essex County Council for the many bus routes they operate in the area of Essex County Council. They stated that they would provide written responses to the questions raised, and that they would be willing to work with Essex County Council to provide funding to restore services in Waltham Abbey.
Councillors have stated that they will be approaching county councillors to discuss the options available to them. This campaign has reached a critical stage, and your voices have made an impact. Waltham Abbey has been left neglected by both TfL and Essex County Council for far too long - our town needs the public transport service it once had restored, now more than ever.
Dr Neil Hudson MP is also set to raise this issue with Transport for London, stating that he is "extremely concerned about the inadequate level of service" in Waltham Abbey.